Mike the Golfer#
Micheal Marshall first played golf as a youngster in 1962 at Gleneagles Golf Course, just down the road from his childhood home in West Vancouver. This municipal 9-hole course introduced him to the game, and sparked a passion that would last a lifetime. Over the next 60 years (and counting), Mike would play over 1000 different golf courses, and over 5000 rounds of golf. He would spend the majority of this time as a scratch golfer or low handicapper. A golfer who was commonly the envy of his foursome, especially his crafty short game.
This section gives a general overview of the courses Mike has played, including his best and worst ranked courses.
“Golf is assuredly a mystifying game. It would seem that if a person has hit a golf ball correctly a thousand times, he should be able to duplicate the performance at will. But such is certainly not the case.”
—Bobby Jones
Interesting Stats#
Total golf courses played
Lifetime average score
Kilometres walked
Golf swings (including putts)
Worst score at new course (Prestwick GC)
Best score at new course (Mountain Brook GC)
Northernmost course: Vikurvollur GC, Stykkisholmur, Iceland
Southernmost course: St. Clair GC, Dunedin, New Zealand
Map of Courses Played#
The map below shows all of the golf courses played around the world. You can scroll and zoom the map as desired, and hover over points to see the name of the golf course. Countries are also colour coded based on the number of courses played.
Career in Numbers#
Total Number of Courses Played
As of 2024, Mike has played 1028 different golf courses in 23 different countries
The plots below show the number of new golf courses played each year, and the cumulative number of new courses played (dashed line). The added plot on the right shows the number of courses played in each country.
There are three noticeable lulls in new courses played. The first was during the early years, prior to 1972. The second lull coincided with the arrival of the kids (at least the first three kids). And the final lull was a result of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020-2022. In 2020, the only new course played was the Winchelsea View course in Lantzville.
The Best of the Best#
Below is a list of Mike’s top rated courses played. All of these courses have a personal rating of 9.5 (out of 10) or higher. It is quite a comprehensive list of some of the most famous and prestigious golf courses in the world.
| Course Name | City | Country | Year Played | Holes | Personal Rating | Best Score | World Rank | US Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Cypress Point Golf Club | Monterey | USA | 2015 | 18 | 11.0 | 72 | ~ | 3.0 |
| 1 | Royal County Down GC | Newcastle | UK | 1988 | 18 | 11.0 | 74 | 1.0 | ~ |
| 2 | Muirfield | Gullane | UK | 1972 | 18 | 10.0 | 86 | 7.0 | ~ |
| 3 | Olympic Lake Course | San Francisco | USA | 1986 | 18 | 10.0 | 79 | ~ | 35.0 |
| 4 | The Old Course | St Andrews | UK | 1972 | 18 | 10.0 | 76 | 9.0 | ~ |
| 5 | Pacific Dunes GC | Bandon | USA | 2004 | 18 | 10.0 | 76 | ~ | 21.0 |
| 6 | Bandon Dunes GC | Bandon | USA | 2010 | 18 | 10.0 | 75 | ~ | 40.0 |
| 7 | Pine Valley GC | Clementon | USA | 1997 | 18 | 10.0 | 75 | ~ | 1.0 |
| 8 | Pebble Beach Links | Pebble Beach | USA | 1995 | 18 | 10.0 | 75 | ~ | 12.0 |
| 9 | Royal Portrush GC -- Dunluce | Portrush | UK | 1988 | 18 | 10.0 | 75 | 8.0 | ~ |
| 10 | Ballybunion Old | Ballybunion | Ireland | 1988 | 18 | 10.0 | 72 | 18.0 | ~ |
| 11 | Royal Dornoch GC | Dornoch | UK | 1972 | 18 | 10.0 | 77 | 3.0 | ~ |
| 12 | Royal Birkdale | Southport | UK | 1972 | 18 | 10.0 | 81 | 17.0 | ~ |
| 13 | Carne GC | Belmullet | Ireland | 2016 | 27 | 10.0 | 81 | ~ | ~ |
| 14 | Sunningdale Old | Sunningdale | UK | 1972 | 18 | 10.0 | 80 | 15.0 | ~ |
| 15 | The National Golf Club | Woodbridge | Canada | 1990 | 18 | 10.0 | 79 | 22.0 | ~ |
| 16 | Turnberry -- Ailsa | Turnberry | UK | 1972 | 18 | 10.0 | 82 | 13.0 | ~ |
| 17 | Capilano Golf and Country Club | West Vancouver | Canada | 1965 | 18 | 10.0 | 65 | 76.0 | ~ |
| 18 | Torrey Pines -- South | San Diego | USA | 1986 | 18 | 9.7 | 73 | ~ | ~ |
| 19 | Pinehurst #2 | Pinehurst | USA | 1988 | 18 | 9.5 | 85 | ~ | 29.0 |
| 20 | Ballyliffin Glasheddy | Ballyliffin | Ireland | 2015 | 18 | 9.5 | 80 | ~ | ~ |
| 21 | Macrihanish GC | Macrihanish | UK | 1992 | 18 | 9.5 | 70 | 64.0 | ~ |
| 22 | New South Wales GC | Le Perouse | Australia | 1977 | 18 | 9.5 | 77 | 14.0 | ~ |
| 23 | Rosapenna Sandy Hills | ~ | Ireland | 2013 | 18 | 9.5 | 86 | ~ | ~ |
| 24 | Mid Ocean GC | ~ | Bermuda | 1989 | 18 | 9.5 | 74 | 33.0 | ~ |
| 25 | Trevose GC | Constantine Bay | UK | 2009 | 18 | 9.5 | 77 | ~ | ~ |
| 26 | Chambers Bay GC | Tacoma | USA | 2009 | 18 | 9.5 | 76 | ~ | ~ |
| 27 | Mauna Kea Beach GC | Hawaii | USA | 1976 | 18 | 9.5 | 80 | ~ | ~ |
| 28 | Waterville GC | Waterville | Ireland | 1988 | 18 | 9.5 | 80 | 60.0 | ~ |
| 29 | The Dragon GC at Nakoma | Clio | USA | 2005 | 18 | 9.5 | 78 | ~ | ~ |
| 30 | Harbour Town Links | Hilton Head | USA | 2008 | 18 | 9.5 | 78 | ~ | ~ |
| 31 | Lahinch GC -- Championship | Lahinch | Ireland | 1988 | 18 | 9.5 | 78 | 41.0 | ~ |
| 32 | Enniscrone GC | Enniscrone | Ireland | 2016 | 27 | 9.5 | 81 | ~ | ~ |
| 33 | Spyglass Hill GC | Carmel | USA | 1978 | 18 | 9.5 | 87 | ~ | 67.0 |
| 34 | Highland Links | Ingonish | Canada | 1987 | 18 | 9.5 | 75 | 94.0 | ~ |
| 35 | Portstewart GC -- Strand | Portstewart | UK | 2013 | 18 | 9.5 | 78 | ~ | ~ |
| 36 | Gleneagles Queens | Auchterarder | UK | 1972 | 18 | 9.5 | 78 | ~ | ~ |
| 37 | Gleneagles Kings | Auchterarder | UK | 1972 | 18 | 9.5 | 84 | 100.0 | ~ |
| 38 | Wentworth West | Virginia Water | UK | 1972 | 18 | 9.5 | 86 | ~ | ~ |
| 39 | Prestwick GC | Prestwick | UK | 1972 | 18 | 9.5 | 94 | 89.0 | ~ |
| 40 | Riviera CC | Los Angeles | USA | 1983 | 18 | 9.5 | 86 | 18.0 | ~ |
| 41 | North Berwick GC | North Berwick | UK | 1972 | 18 | 9.5 | 84 | 23.0 | ~ |
| 42 | Kauai Lagoons GC Kiele | Kauai | USA | 1989 | 18 | 9.5 | 74 | ~ | ~ |
| 43 | Prince Golf Club | Kauai | USA | 2001 | 18 | 9.5 | 74 | ~ | ~ |
| 44 | Royal Troon GC | Troon | UK | 1972 | 18 | 9.5 | 76 | 53.0 | ~ |
| 45 | St George's G&CC | Toronto | Canada | 1988 | 18 | 9.5 | 80 | 32.0 | ~ |
| 46 | Circling Raven GC | Worley | USA | 2005 | 18 | 9.5 | 71 | ~ | ~ |
| 47 | County Sligo GC | Rosses Point | Ireland | 2013 | 18 | 9.0 | 77 | 91.0 | ~ |
| 48 | Tobiano GC | Kamloops | Canada | 2008 | 18 | 9.0 | 74 | 90.0 | ~ |
| 49 | St. Enodoc GC | Rock | England | 2009 | 18 | 9.0 | 78 | 82.0 | ~ |
The chart below shows the world rank (2023) for courses in Mike’s top-50 favorites. He’s played 26 of the top-100 courses in the world, including 5 of the top-10. Royal County Down claims the world number 1 title and is also Mike’s personal favorite course.
The Bottom of the Barrel#
It’s also worth looking at the lowest rated courses played. This list includes 18-hole courses. Not surprisingly, the majority of these courses are in British Columbia, and particularly the Lower Mainland. Might as well rattle off all the local courses.
| City | Country | Year Played | Holes | Personal Rating | Best Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Name | ||||||
| Greenacres | Richmond | Canada | 1982 | 18 | 4 | 75.0 |
| Newlands | Langley | Canada | 1973 | 18 | 4 | 79.0 |
| Delta GC | Delta | Canada | 1993 | 18 | 4 | 71.0 |
| Meadow Gardens GC | Pitt Meadows | Canada | 1984 | 18 | 5 | 71.0 |
| Pajaro Valley Golf Course | Watsonville | USA | 2013 | 18 | 5 | 75.0 |
| Grantown on Spey GC | Grantown | UK | 1972 | 18 | 5 | 79.0 |
| Yellowknife GC | Yellowknife | Canada | 2018 | 18 | 5 | NaN |
| Cultus Lake GC | Cultus Lake | Canada | 2007 | 18 | 5 | 64.0 |
| Sunnydale GC | Comox | Canada | 2003 | 18 | 5 | 74.0 |
| Mission Creek GC | Kelowna | Canada | 1988 | 18 | 5 | 59.0 |
| Pineridge GC | Kamloops | Canada | 1993 | 18 | 5 | 60.0 |
| Coyote Creek GC | Surrey | Canada | 1993 | 18 | 5 | 60.0 |
| Discovery Harbor GC | Hawaii | USA | 1996 | 18 | 5 | 80.0 |
| Tall chief GC | Fall City | USA | 1989 | 18 | 5 | 67.0 |
| Michaelbrook Ranch | Kelowna | Canada | 1989 | 18 | 5 | 56.0 |
| Langara golf course | Vancouver | Canada | 1967 | 18 | 5 | 70.0 |
| Fraserview golf course | Vancouver | Canada | 1967 | 18 | 5 | 69.0 |
| Wimbledon Common GC | London | UK | 1972 | 18 | 5 | NaN |
| The Fort GC | Fort Langley | Canada | 1983 | 18 | 5 | 74.0 |
| Guildford golf course | Surrey | Canada | 1982 | 18 | 5 | 69.0 |